Biomechanical assessment of a passive back-support exoskeleton during repetitive lifting and carrying: Muscle activity, kinematics, and physical capacity.

INTRODUCTION: Most people have experienced low back pain (LBP) more or less in their lifetime. Heavier load weight could increase the risk of LBP, especially in repetitive lifting and carrying tasks. The risk could also increase with the frequency of lifting. This study aims to investigate the effects of a passive back-support exoskeleton (PBSE) on trunk muscle activation, kinematics, and physical capacity in a repetitive lifting task and a carrying task in consideration of load weights in a laboratory setting. RESULTS: Results showed that using the PBSE, the activities of the thoracic erector spinae and lumbar erector spinae muscles were reduced significantly by nearly 7% MVC and 3% MVC in the repetitive lifting task and the carrying task, respectively. There was no significant effect of the PBSE on the spine kinematics and physical capacity. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This study supports the use of the PBSE to reduce trunk muscle activity in repetitive lifting and carrying tasks.

An investigation of the effects of different shift schedules on the fatigue and sleepiness of officers on oil tankers during cargo handling operations.

Cargo handling is an operation, which requires a high level of performance from the officer of the watch (OOW). This study aimed to investigate the effect of different shift schedules on sleep quality, cognitive performance, and sleepiness of 139 OOWs on oil tankers with 4on-8off shifts, during the first shift of cargo handling. Sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)), level of sleepiness (the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS)), Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT), and Arrow Flanker task performance were examined. The results showed that OOWs with (00:00-04:00, 12:00-16:00) and (04:00-08:00, 16:00-20:00) shifts had impaired cognitive performance and higher sleepiness during the cargo handling operation, and they also experienced impaired sleep quality. The results demonstrated that the circadian rhythm and homeostatic sleep drive have a greater impact on cognitive performance and sleepiness than time on shifts. These results suggest that allocating rest hours immediately before the cargo handling operation may reduce the risk of fatigue. Practitioner Summary: To the best of our knowledge, this maritime field study shows for the first time the prevalence of seafarers' sleepiness and cognitive performance while on duty during cargo handling, using a pre-post shift comparison between three different shifts. The results show the negative effects of keeping watch at night on sleep quality, sleepiness, and the impaired cognitive performance both in the day and the night shifts.

Poor sleep quality, long working hours and fatigue in coastal areas: a dangerous combination of silent risk factors for deck officers on oil tankers.

BACKGROUND: The high number of marine incidents in port and coastal areas due to the tired deck officers' erroneous actions are one of the major challenges of marine transportation. Approaching, berthing, and cargo handling (ABC) are the most stressful and exhausting operations of the ship in these areas, which are carried out consecutively and uninterruptedly. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study examined Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) performance, Arrow Flanker Task performance and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) of 70 deck officers of ocean-going oil tankers with 4on-8off shifts at the end of the first shift of cargo-handling operations. In this case, they had worked more than 14 hours continuously. Also, their level of sleepiness was assessed using the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) at the beginning, middle, and end of their first shift of handling operation. RESULTS: The results were analysed according to the duration at sea and deck officers rank. PSQI, KSS, PVT mean reaction times and lapses, and also Flanker's variables were higher among the chief and second officers who were present on board between 0-30 days. The state of officers who were present on board between 31 to 60 days was better than the officers with 0-30 and 61-90 days' duration at sea. In addition, the results show that sleep quality during tour of duty affects cognitive performance and sleepiness of officers during cargo handling operations. CONCLUSIONS: The paper concludes by discussing possible solutions for reducing fatigue and human error among seafarers.

The application research about separated bed transfer used in handling orthopedic patients / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective To study the effects about using separated bed transfer to handle orthopedic patients.Methods According to the characteristics of carrying orthopedic patients,separated bed transfer was developed and made followed by trials in trial departments.A questionnaire survey of 214 patients and 27 users was completed and the related situation using separated bed transfer to handle orthopedic patients was surveyed,the results were compared with those of dead lift.Results Compared with traditional dead lift,there was obvious difference in the number of handling participators[≥5 persons:6.07％ (13/214) vs.21.96％(47/214);4 persons:35.51％ (76/214) vs.48.13％(103/214)],patients' comfort during handling [28.97％ (62/214) vs.84.11％(180/214)],x2=43.027,154.381,all P ＜ 0.05.Conclusions It can reduce the number of participators and patients' pain when handling patients using separated bed transfer.It is widely used with lower cost,which is worth being promoted in clinic.